Scientists urge governments not to wait for global plastics treaty as pollution continues to grow

Scientists are urging governments to act immediately on plastic pollution, warning that waiting for a binding Global Plastics Treaty could mean years of damaging delay while plastic waste continues to accelerate worldwide. 

In a new Nature Reviews: Earth & Environment article, Dr Antaya March, director of the Global Plastics Policy Centre at the University of Portsmouth argues that although international negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty remain deadlocked, countries already have the tools they need to tackle the crisis now and must use them. 

The latest round of negotiations under the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) ended without agreement, leaving a global treaty years away. Meanwhile, plastic pollution continues to increase across land, rivers and oceans, with growing impacts on ecosystems, economies and human health. 

‘The treaty delay must not become an excuse for inaction,’ said Dr Antaya March. ‘Plastic pollution is growing every year. Governments can’t afford to wait for perfect global consensus when practical solutions already exist and are working in many countries.’

The article outlines how governments can make immediate progress through comprehensive national plastics strategies, even in the absence of a global agreement. Well designed national plans can align ministries, coordinate stakeholders, unlock finance and prepare countries for future treaty implementation. 

It highlights that plastics should be treated not only as an environmental issue, but as a growing public health concern. A growing body of evidence links plastics and associated chemicals to cancer, respiratory disease and endocrine disruption, with potential global health related economic costs estimated at more than US$1.5 trillion per year. 

Framing plastics as a health issue, the authors argue, can strengthen public understanding and political pressure for faster, more ambitious regulation. 

While negotiations remain slow, the treaty process has already mobilised research, funding and global collaboration. The authors warn that losing momentum now would be a critical mistake. 

‘This moment should be seen as an opportunity, not a pause,’ said co-author, Sam Winton, from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth. ‘Governments and communities can show leadership now through national planning, ambitious policies and local action and be ready when a global treaty finally comes.’

Plastic pollution cannot wait for the slow moving negotiations, and that immediate action at national, regional and local levels is essential to curb the crisis.